Into Ashes
by Mary Stardust
Summary: 7th year fic. Harry knows what he has to do. Find the Horcruxes, go after Voldemort and then destroy him forever, but things doesn't go as planned. HG and RHr. HBP Spoilers!
1. Chapter 1

A hooded man walked hurriedly through a thick forest. His feet made sucking noises on the damp ground. When the man reached a cave, he stopped. As he lowered his hood to look around for any followers, a glimpse of shiny blonde hair became visible from under the hood. When he was sure no-one was spying on him he stepped into the cave, only it wasn't a cave, he had stepped into a dimly lit room. The room had neither windows nor doors, only a large arm-chair stood at the back of the room surrounded by floating candles. In the armchair sat Lord Voldemort. The hooded man stepped forward and knelt down.

'Young Malfoy', said a cold voice to the man kneeling down, 'you failed. You had a mission this year at Hogwarts, but you failed. Luckily Severus Snape was there to complete this mission for you, so I will spare you this time.' Voldemort's lips twisted into a wicked smile as he looked at his young Death Eater. Malfoy stood quietly and expressionless under the hood. Voldemort continued, 'I will give you another chance to prove that you are truly loyal to me. As I have said before, the person who betrays or does not obey the Dark Lord will not be alive for long. Now, Young Malfoy, are you prepared for you mission?"

Malfoy didn't move but merely said in a steady voice, "Yes, my Lord. Whatever you ask me, it will be done."

* * *

Harry travelled back to Privet Drive for one last time. When he stood on the door step, about to leave forever he felt a feeling of relief. He felt free for the first time. He was leaving the home that had kept him in chains for most of his life.

"Are you coming?" Ron called, who was standing on the pavement with Hermione next to Harry's trunk where all his possessions lay, ready to leave but Harry felt like he wasn't ready to leave yet. He had to do one thing before leaving this life behind him. He hadn't said goodbye to the Dursleys yet and was thinking whether he should do it or not.

"Yeah," Harry called back, "I'm just going to do one thing. It'll take a second." He stepped inside the Dursley house again. Harry thought the Dursleys would probably just hate him for coming back inside to say goodbye, as it would make Harry stay there a little longer. The sooner Harry was out of sight at Privet Drive the faster the Dursleys would start their party. Harry went to the living room and there were his aunt and uncle, sitting on the couch watching the evening news. Harry coughed, to get their attention, but neither of them recognised his presence.

"Well," he began, "Goodbye, then." He waited for a some kind of response but when he didn't get any he started to leave. He was almost at the door when Uncle Vernon grunted, which to Harry meant that he had at least heard what he had said. Harry turned around to look at them for one last time and saw that Aunt Petunia for the first time didn't look disapprovingly at him, but like she cared. That was enough for Harry. He grabbed the handle on his last trunk and left.

* * *

"Should we call for the Knight Bus?" Ron asked. Harry had still one month until his 17th birthday and his apparation test. Ron had taken the test for the second time a week ago and passed. "Mum thought with everything that's going on, it would be safer if I got the Apparation test as soon as possible." Ron explained as the Knight Bus stopped in front of them. Harry expected Stan to step out of the bus, asking for the regular eleven sickles, but no one came.

"Just come on board," said a voice from inside the bus that Harry recognised. It was Ernie Prangs, the driver of the knight bus. Harry, Ron and Hermione did as they were told and helped Harry drag his trunk onboard the bus, which was empty and dirtier than Harry remembered. The armchairs were covered with thin dust, like the bus had not had passengers in a long time, and Harry thought he saw spider webs in the ceiling. He hoped Ron hadn't noticed them. Harry saw a sign above a box, that Harry wasn't able to read, the letters were too small.

Hermione was closer and read the sign out loud, "Welcome to the Knight Bus. Due to the recent disappearance of our conductor Stan Shunpike, the knight bus is now a self-service busThe fare is eleven sickles. For two extra sickles you get a extra hot chocolate. For four extra sickles you get a hot water bottle and a tooth brush. Please put your gold in the box, take a seat and enjoy the ride," Hermione finished, looking slightly disturbed. "When is it going to end?"

Harry expected this to continue. Many people had been killed and disappeared since the war had begun. He tried not to think where Stan's body had been dumped. Harry, Ron and Hermione took a bed each and held on to it as hard as they could when the bus drove off with a bang. In the jolty ride Ron managed to hit his head on a pole.

" I think I will have a bump on my head," Ron said massaging his head.

"Did you get the letter from Hogwarts?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Yeah," Harry said sadly. He was going to say more but couldn't bare himself to utter the words. Talking about Hogwarts and Dumbledore still felt painful. Three days after leaving Hogwarts Harry had received a letter from McGonagall, now headmaster at Hogwarts, that the school would not be opening next year. In a way, Harry felt relived. He did not want to go to Hogwarts so soon without Dumbledore being there.

"How are we getting to France?" Harry asked, wanting to talk about something cheerful. He had received a wedding invitation to Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding in what Harry imagined a fancy mansion in France. He had never been abroad and the thought of something joyous in the middle of the horrible war made Harry feel a bit better.

"Didn't you hear?" Ron asked, but Harry only looked at him questionably. "The place in France where they had decided to get married in burned down. They found out about it a few days ago. It was a muggle place, so it will take months or years for it to be build up again. Bill and Fleur didn't want to postpone the wedding, so mum offered to have it at the Burrow. It's mad at the Burrow. The wedding is in one and a half week."

The bus didn't slow down and it was impossible to lay in a bed without holding on to something, or they'd be thrown around the bus. Harry tried to find a comfortable position in the bed, but kept tossing around.

"And you have to see Fleur's wedding dress," Ron said winking at Harry. "She looks pretty fit in it."

"Did you have to bring that up?" came Hermione's annoyed voice from the bed next to Ron.

"I was just saying…" Ron began but was interrupted by Hermione.

"You were _just_ saying?"

Ron and Hermione continued to bicker but Harry merely placed his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. As long as he had Ron and Hermione, he would be fine.

* * *

Harry thought first that they had got off at the wrong place, the Burrow was barely recognisable. The house was glowing white and hearts in different shades of red were hanging from the roof. Instead of smoke that usually fumed out of the five chimneys, there were flowers popping up.

"Everything isn't done yet," Ron said as he, Harry and Hermione walked towards the Burrow.

"It looks beautiful," Hermione said amazed. "I hope my wedding looks as beautiful as this." Harry caught Ron's eye where slight panic could be detected.

Ron lead Harry to Ron's room where an empty bed was waiting for him. Hermione disappeared with Ginny on the way. Harry said only a quiet "Hello" to Ginny and she replied in the same manner. He wasn't sure how to act around her after the break up.

"Just put your things in the empty corner," Ron told Harry. "I'm gonna go and check on Bill." Harry nodded and started to staple his trunks neatly in the corner. The door to Ron's room was open and it was constantly passed by people running around the house. Most of Fleur's relatives where staying at the Burrow. Ron and Harry were sharing a room with Fleur's two uncles.

"You are 'Arry Potter!" said a female voice behind Harry. He turned around there was a young looking at him who, no doubt, was Fleur's relative.

"I'm Azure Delacour, Fleur's cousin." said the girl and kissed him on both cheeks. Azure jumped onto a dresser opposite Harry and crossed her legs. She tilted her head to the left and studied Harry as though he was a museum object.

"You made You-Know-'o go away," she said matter-of-factly. Harry didn't know what to answer so he continued to put his things in the corner. "Tell me 'ow," she said rather sternly.

"No, thanks," Harry replied without looking up at the girl.

"Fine," she said raising her head high. "I'm going to tell everyone that, 'Arry Potter is very rude." She left the room and Harry had no idea what to think.

* * *

Bill was alone in his old room. He was standing in front of a big oval mirror. He was wearing a black dress robe, but something was wrong. He knew exactly what it was, his face, his skin. Even though the Healers had done as much as they could to hide the scars, his face would never be the same.

"Bill?" came a voice from the door. It was Ron. Bill waved him in.

"Handsome," Ron said jerking his head at Bill. "Good thing you picked them out yourself. If mum had gone with you, you might have ended up with something like I wore to the Yule Ball."

Bill smiled, but his smile faded fast. "I can't do it," he said with a serious look.

"Do what?"

"I can't marry Fleur."

Ron gave short laugh. "Of course you can," he said.

"Look at me," Bill demanded and Ron did. Bill thought he saw Ron twitch, like many people they saw his face. "You twitched!"

"Don't be a daft," Ron said sighing. "Fleur loves you. She wants to marry you.

"Yeah," Bill said and looked at himself in the mirror.

* * *

The wedding day finally dawned and Mrs. Weasley was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Fleur's parents had requested a traditional English afternoon tea but she couldn't find anything in the kitchen. Hermione came walking through the kitchen. She was carrying a heavy book and was trying to find a good place to read at. Everywhere she went she was disturbed by wedding guests staying at the Burrow.

"Hermione, dear," Mrs. Weasley said trying to sound as calm as possible. "I've lost my blue teakettle. Could you go look for it? The children were romping around in the garden with it earlier, so I think it's there somewhere."

"Of course," said Hermione and put the book down on the table. She would read some other time.

"Ron you can help too," Mrs Weasley said to Ron who was trying to sneak past the kitchen to avoid tasks from her mother like this. Ron turned around and walked towards the garden. "Come on, Hermione," he said.

The sun burned instantly on Hermione's skin as she stepped out with Ron. It was going to be a beautiful and sunny day for a wedding.

"I go that way, you can look here," Ron said bossily, feeling a little annoyed that he had been assigned to do tasks when he planned to take a quiet nap in the back yard.

Hermione didn't have to look long. The teakettle had been buried in the ground next to a tree nearby, only the handle was sticking out.

"_Accio Kettle_," Hermione simply said, pointing her wand at the ground and a dirt-covered teakettle flew into her hand. Hermione waved her wand again and said, "_Scourgify," _but this time nothing happened. Hermione tried the spell again. The kettle remained dirty. Panic rising in her stomach she tried the spell again but again, nothing happened. She then tried the levitation charm, which was the most basic spell she could think of.

"_Wingardium Leviosa, Wingardium Leviosa_," she repeated swishing and flicking her wand but the kettle remained still. _If Ron could see me now_, Hermione thought. _Not even being able to do a simple levitation charm._

Hermione closed her eyes and s single tear fell down her cheek. _Am I losing my magical ability? _Hermione tried not to think about, it but she couldn't help it. "You don't deserve this you filthy mudblood" they said. It made her doubt herself.

Hermione opened her eyes. _I am a witch_, she said to herself. _I can do this. It's a simple charm._ _One last try._ Hermione breathed in and out. She swished and flicked her wand and said loudly, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" This time the kettle left the ground and floated a few feet up before landing steadly to the grass.

"You found the kettle." Hermione turned around and saw Ron standing behind her. She only nodded as reply but didn't look at Ron.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he saw Hermione's troubled face.

"Nothing," she said and tried to smile but failed.

"_Scourgify_," Ron said and pointed his wand at the kettle on the ground. The dirt disappeared off the kettle and it shone bright blue again.

They smiled gently at each other but were interrupted by a running figure with flaming red hair that looked a lot like…

They smiled gently at each other but were interrupted by a figure who came running past them in a hurry. He had flaming red hair and looked a lot like…

"Isn't that Bill?" Hermione said and they both looked trough the trees and at the field, they could see a person, looking very much like Bill, running away. "Why is he running away from the Burrow?" Hermione didn't get an answer. Ron had gone after him. Hermione had no choice but to follow.

"Bill! Bill!" Ron yelled but Bill only ran faster. "Bill!" he yelled again. Hermione wasn't good at running and had a hard time keeping up.

"Ron, let's just stop," Hermione managed to say between pants. After a minute of running Bill stopped and disapparated. Ron stopped running. Hermione caught up with him. They both were panting hard. Ron fell to the ground. He lay where Bill had been a minute ago, before he had apparated. "Are you sure it was Bill?" Hermione asked. "I mean, why would he run away from his own wedding? He seemed so happy about it."

Ron didn't answer. He only ran his fingers trough his hair and sighed.


	2. Chapter 2

All the commotion at the Burrow was making Harry's head spin. He needed to be alone somewhere quiet, but there were so many people attending the wedding that it was impossible to find a quiet place at four miles radius. Harry caught a glimpse of the twins making last minute adjustment on their robes and down the hall he saw Fleur's cousin Azure walking towards him. In desperation to avoid another conversation where Azure would want detailed descriptions of his defeats over Voldemort, Harry disappeared into the closest room available.

He stopped dead when he saw that he had stepped into Ginny's room and that she was sitting on her bed, clutching her knees. She was in her regular clothes, not yet dressed for the wedding. They avoided each other's eyes for a moment before Harry uttered a quiet and nervous "Hello". Harry thought that he would almost have let himself be dragged away by Azure than have this awkward moment with Ginny.

They hadn't been alone together since Harry had told Ginny that they would be better off not being together. In spite of the fact that Harry wished that things would be the way they were before they got togetherit simply didn't go that way. Every time the two of them happened to be in the same room, they usually avoided talking to each other. Harry had been at the Burrow for two days now and only said five words to her.

"It was Azure," Harry explained. "I was hiding from her. You know how she is." Ginny only nodded. Harry thought it would be rude to leave, so he sat on the bed next to Ginny.

"Destroy all the horcruxes yet?" Ginny asked smiling a little. Harry tried to catch her eyes, but she was avoiding him.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," replied Harry. Harry was going to explain further but stopped when he felt Ginny's hand brush his.

"I want to come with you," Ginny whispered softly as she laced her fingers on the other hand through Harry's more than usually messy hair.

Harry was hating himself for saying this, but he knew it was for the better. "You know you can't. I don't want to put you in any more danger that you already are in."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing." Harry suddenly noticed how close they were. Harry felt Ginny's lips brush against his cheek. Harry became numb for a moment. He wanted to push her away and say that they shouldn't, but his body was not responding. He closed his eyes, trying to remember all the places that she had touched him but everything was fading away fast. When Harry opened his eyes, Ginny was gone.

* * *

Harry left Ginny's room bemused. He hadn't realised that Ginny still affected him like this. Harry decided that he needed to bury his feelings and stay away from her for a while. He had more important things to think about. Harry's thoughts were distracted by Fred and George who came running towards him in the hall, already dressed ready for the wedding and they looked worried.

"Have you seen Bill?" asked Fred.

"No, not a while. Isn't he supposed to be in his room, getting ready?"

"Yes, we were helping him get ready. He said he wanted to be alone for a minute, so we went to help mum out for a while, and when we got back he was gone." said George.

"No one has seen him." continued Fred. "We think he might have run away. You know, got the cold feet or something."

Harry imagined Fleur's destroyed face and he desperately wanted to avoid that. "We have to try and find him."

"He's gone." Harry swung around and there were Ron and Hermione standing. Harry, Fred and George looked at the pair questioningly, waiting for a further explanation.

"Hermione and I were out in the garden and we saw him run away. I'm telling you, Bill is gone." Ron barely finished the sentence when there was a shriek. In the hall stood a horrified looking Fleur, in a beautiful, white wedding dress.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BILL IZ GONE!"

* * *

Hermione was pending between dream and reality as Ron softly rapped on her and Ginny's door. _Honestly,_ Hermione thought as she pulled herself up from bed and quietly tip-toed to the door, so that she wouldn't wake up Ginny. 

"Want to go for a walk?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment. She had decided to tell Ron off for disturbing her sleep, but when she saw her incredibly cute pyjamas she couldn't say anything but yes. Ron took Hermione's hand and led her down the stairs. They walked quietly through the kitchen, Fleur's sobs could faintly be heard from the guest room.

"She's still crying?" Hermione looked concerned but Ron dragged her out of the house.

"We have enough problems of our own. They'll work it out," Ron said and gently touched her hair. Hermione noticed that they had become very touchy around each other lately. She knew Ron liked her more than a friend. She knew she liked Ron more than a friend.

They had almost kissed once, on that horrible night when Dumbledore died, but Hermione had pulled away. She had said she wanted to go slowly and he had accepted it. This was them, going slowly. Playfully touching each other, going on midnight walks. She had known Ron for almost six years and probably loved him for almost as many years, why should it be so hard?

"We're here," Ron said and stopped walking. They were standing by a large rock in the middle of the field

Ron led Hermione away from the Burrow to the field where Bill had escaped.

"What are we doing here?" Hermione asked confused.

"Well," Ron began in a mocking voice, "because at night, when it's dark like this, the sky is filled with these beautiful shining dots called stars and I thought that I would bring the most beautiful girl in the world here, to watch them with me."

Hermione smiled and said a quiet "thank you". She didn't know how to take compliments like that.

"Sit, please," Ron said and motioned at the ground near the rock. Hermione sat down and Ron joined next to him. The rock was shaped so that two people could comfortably lean on it while enjoying a view of the night sky. They both were mesmerised by the beautiful sky.

"I know what we are doing is dangerous and that we might not survive," Ron said quietly. "I just wanted one night were I didn't have to think about any of that."

"I know," said Hermione consolingly. Hermione opened her mouth to say something more but stopped. She felt Ron's soft finger on her cheek. He leaned closer a little. Their noses were almost touching. This time she didn't pull away.

* * *

Meanwhile in London a muggle named Jared Singh walked his usual way home from work, but as he rounded the last corner before arriving at his flat he saw something odd. Where there this morning had been a building, there was a street now that looked like it once had been colourful and lively but now looked gloomy and abandoned with a few people walking around in funny clothes. Jared was stunned and walked a little closer. He that saw the street had a name.

"Diagon Alley," he whispered to himself as he read the sign. Although Jared had only lived in London for three months he had never heard of a place called Diagon Alley. He was also sure that if this _alley_ had been there all this time, he would have noticed it. He became curious and walked a little further. When he was looking around he saw that most of the walls where plastered with posters that had moving photographs on them and behind the posters shop names as "Quality Quidditch Supplies" and "Scribbulus Everchanging Inks" were visible. Thinking that the photographs were some sort of advanced TV-screens Jared moved closer and touched one of the them. The woman on the photograph, Bellatrix Lestrange, scowled at him and walked out of the photograph. Behind him a man tapped on his shoulder and said, "Dragon liver. Half-price. Want to buy some? Or maybe a Flobberworm. A perfect pet for the little one." _What is this place?_

_

* * *

_Author's Note: More to come! Please review and thanks for reading. :)_  
_


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione would have liked to stay longer but Ron had told it was better if they left. He stayed a little longer to "savour the moment", as he had put it. With sore lips from kissing Ron (it sounded weird in her mind, yet so perfect) Hermione walked alone to the Burrow. She was smiling and had a stomach full of butterflies. She didn't notice that she walked right into Ginny.

"Oh, sorry," came Hermione's immediate reaction, unable to hide the cheerfulness in her voice.

"Where have you been?" Ginny asked irritably. "I came looking for you. Where were you?"

"I was just outside walking," Hermione replied defensively, the feeling in her stomach fading at Ginny's angry tone.

"You know we are not allowed to walk outside alone at night," Ginny said in a voice that could have belonged to a furious Mrs. Weasley. "It's dangerous." Hermione knew that. She thought Ginny's anger wasn't justified. She and Ron were just outside looking at the stars (snogging was beside the point) and there are protective charms around the Burrow, Hermione thought but did not say anything to Ginny and only tried to look as unbothered by Ginny's words as possible. She did not want to fight with Ginny at this hour.

"I'll just go to bed then," Hermione said and walked past Ginny and up the stairs to their room. Dreams already occupied Hermione's mind when Ginny crawled into bed.

Ginny's bad mood stayed until morning and to avoid another clash with a friend she stayed alone in her and Hermione's room and tried to sleep, but it seemed like an impossible thing to do. Fleur's relatives were furious at the Weasley family. They were certain it was Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's fault that Bill had abandoned Fleur. Ginny had woken up to her mum's voice shouting "Now, Mrs. Delacour! No need to start a fire!" When she heard her and Fleur's parents thundering up and down the stairs outside Ginny's room for the fifth time, Ginny got up, opened the door, pointed her wand at her and Fleur's parents who were yelling loudly in french at Mrs. Weasley in the hallway. Nobody noticed Ginny until she yelled "_Silencio!"_ and closed to the door to the confused looking parents and went back to bed.

Ginny wasn't able to sleep for long. Soon an owl tapped on her window, with the morning's Daily Prophet between its claws. Ginny tried to ignore the tapping as long as she could. _Why can't it go and tap on someone else's window, someone who is not sleeping?_ Ginny thought, but when she realised the owl wouldn't go away, she got up from her bed. As she dragged herself to the window she mumbled "disturb-Ginny's-sleep-day, is it now?". Ginny opened the window and the owl dropped the paper on the floor. It flew around in the room for a while as Ginny looked for knuts to give the owl.

"There," Ginny said and gave the owl 7 knuts. "Now leave." The owl flew happily out of the window. Ginny glanced quickly at the headline before throwing the paper to the floor, but something on the front page caught Ginny's eye and she lifted the paper off the floor. "Muggle wanders into Diagon Alley" was the headline. She spread the paper on her bed and began to read the article. "_Yesterday evening a muggle was found wandering on Diagon Alley. The 35-year-old muggle man claims that he was on a walk when suddenly Diagon Alley appeared in front of him. The ministry…"_

Downstairs Ron and Harry were eating breakfast. Most of the wedding guest had already left and there was tons of uneaten wedding food to digest. Ron put a cream filled finger in his mouth, while Harry was busy with a bowl full of grey cookies.

"I think the cake is my favourite," Ron said, now taking a real bite out of the cake.

"I like these little cookies. I don't know what they are but they taste really good," Harry said with mouth full.

"Honestly you too," Hermione said as she entered the kitchen. Hermione felt Ron's eye follow her as she walked through the kitchen and sat down

"Sleep well?" he asked smiling.

"Oh, yes," Hermione replied and smiled back. Ron and Hermione continued to goggle and Harry only rolled his eyes. Harry saw that Hermione had already packed her books. They lay in a corner in the kitchen, stapled on each other, thick and old. Hermione had brought with her as many books she could carry from Hogwarts that would be of help to Harry to defeat Voldemort. Ever since he found out about the prophecy, and even before that, he had known that in the end it would be between him and Voldemort, but it had never felt as real as it did now. He wasn't scared. He had already faced Voldemort and many other dangers during his years at Hogwarts, but something bothered him. What was it?

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Fleur's dad, who came down the stairs to the kitchen carrying a large trunk, followed by Fleur's mum. As they passed Harry, Ron and Hermione in the kitchen, they gave them a cold look before walking out the door and slamming the door as loudly as they could.

"I don't understand how Bill could just leave like that. Poor Fleur," Hermione said sadly.

"He left a note," Ron said at which Hermione scoffed. "He wrote and said he wasn't ready and needed some time to think about what he wants."

"To be honest, I think they move a little too fast, but if he really wants Fleur they'll get back together," Harry said and took another cookie from the bowl in front of him.

"You don't understand any of this. There's nothing to think about any more. He already made a choice, and it wasn't Fleur. Being abandoned on your wedding day is the worst..." Hermione suddenly stopped and stood up. She mumbled something like "forgot a thing" before leaving the table. Ron and Harry looked at each other quizzically.

"No wonder we don't understand. They don't even finish their sentences and just leave in the middle of a conversation," Ron said and took one of the grey cookies still on the table. He handed one to Harry who took it and placed it in his mouth.

A minute later Hermione came back to the kitchen, looking excited. "I've been working on it for months, but I haven't had the chance to give this to you." Hermione was held out a gleaming silver medal on a string.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"It's a Contego Charm," Hermione said in a proud voice. "I was flipping through some books at the library one day and I found out that there is actually a way to protect yourself from the Unforgivable Curses, any curse. However, it doesn't protect you one hundred percent, more like one percent. What I did was, concentrate the magic into one small spot to make it extra powerful. See, you wear this medal and if someone, say tries to _Avada Kedavra_ you and the curse hits this medal, then it will stop the curse from hitting you, but if the curse hits you somewhere else, well then you are… dead."

"Cheerful," Ron said sarcastically.

Harry took the medal and examined it. It was very thin and didn't cover much skin if Harry wore it. Harry stroke the smooth surface of the medal with his thumb. "Thanks, Hermione. It's better than no protection at all."

"I thought so," Hermione said smiling.

Harry put the medal around his neck and inside his shirt. He thought that he would have to have to drink an extra large bottle of Felix Felicis if a killing curse would hit him right where medal was.

After breakfast the trio went to their rooms to pack. They were leaving today to go north. Hermione had done some research and found that the Black family had been in possession of a cottage in Scotland which now belonged to Harry. Now that Hogwarts was closed, Harry needed a place to prepare for his journey to destroy the Horcruxes and then Voldemort. They had decided that Sirius's cottage would be their headquarters.

Hermione and Ron had already finished packing and were waiting for him in the kitchen. Harry was alone in Ron's room. He only had a couple of potions bottles to pack, that Hermione had bought from Diagon Alley before she and Ron went to see him at Privet Drive, and he was ready to go. He tried different ways to put the bottles in the trunk, without them smashing on the way to the cottage.

When Harry finally finished putting the bottles neatly he felt someone else's presence in the room. He turned around and saw Ginny standing in the doorway.

"Harry, I know you said I can't come," Ginny said and looked at Harry. "I want to help. I want to do something, and not just sit here at the Burrow doing nothing. I want to come with you."

"Like hell you will!", came Ron's voice from the hallway before Harry could reply. This did not improve Ginny's mood. Her eyes flattered dangerously at Ron and Harry stepped back knowing what was coming.

"Ron, don't tell me what to do!" Ginny yelled. Harry thought he may have imagined it, but it looked like Ginny's hair stood up like a mad scientist's

"Not in the words that Ron put it, but I think if you stayed here at the Burrow," Harry said, carefully choosing his words.

"Do you think I can't handle it?" Ginny replied with her voice raising. "I was with you at the Department of Mysteries."

"Maybe I'm saying that you can't handle it," Harry said, but he really didn't think that Ginny couldn't handle it. He knew she could, but he couldn't put her in danger. Ginny's reaction proved that this was not the right move from Harry. There was a flash of anger in Ginny's eyes.

"I need to be alone," Ginny said before running out of the room. Harry followed her. Ginny was ran faster than Harry thought and he had to run as fast as he could to catch up with her.

"Ginny, wait!" Harry shouted but she was only deaf to his shouts. Harry caught Ginny's hand and she swung around.

"I said leave me alone!" Ginny shouted trying to loosen herself from Harry's grip. Furious Ginny saw no other option than to pull her wand.

"Let me go," she said pointing the wand at Harry. "Don't think I won't use the Bat-Boogey Hex on you."

Harry let go of Ginny's arm. "I'll leave you alone," he said quietly before walking away.


	4. Chapter 4

"So," Ron said, drumming his wand on his hand, "are we going to touch the portkey?" Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the garden outside the Burrow ready to take a portkey to Sirius's cottage. Harry had been quiet all day since the argument with Ginny. Ron and Hermione had only managed to get one syllable answers from him.

"I'll count to three," Hermione suggested and started to count but Harry didn't move. Hermione and Ron looked at each other worridly.

"Hermione," Ron said, "you can take Harry's hand and make him reach for the portkey."

"I can do it myself, thanks," Harry said coldly. "We touch it on three. One, two, three." Harry, Ron and Hermione put their hands on the portkey and their feet lifted from the ground. A few seconds later the three of them slammed into the ground. Harry stood up and brushed some grass of his shoulder. They were in the middle of a thick forest outside a tiny green cottage. The cottage had turned wild. Grass and moss was growing around the house. If you didn't know there was a house underneath the green, you might not even notice it.

"At least no one will find us," Ron said looking at the cottage with slight dislike. "I mean, even if they walk past this, they might not even notice it's there."

They took their trunks inside the house. They had some trouble getting the door open to the cottage. It seemed like all the furniture had been placed outside the door,

There was only one bedroom, a kitchen, living room with a fireplace and, to Hermione's enjoyment, a library, which was more a small room full of books, but to Hermione that didn't matter. She dived right into the books.

"There might be something useful here," Hermione said from behind a shelf of books. She brushed off some dust and saw that most of the books were wizarding novels including the whole series of "A Witch In Love". Hermione had read a book in the series but not liked it very much. In her opinion, the female characters were too "boy crazy".

Later Ron helped Hermione set up protective charms around the cottage, while Harry tried to make it liveable inside the house. Ron didn't participate much, he enjoyed it more when he got to watch Hermione do magic.

"Hold this for me," Hermione said and threw rectangular object that looked like a black smooth brick stone with white buttons. "It's too heavy in my pocket." Ron began instantly pushing the buttons.

"A muggle thing?" Ron asked.

"It's a mobile phone. My mom and dad gave it to me so that I can keep in touch with them faster, where ever I am. But it's not much use, since most of the magic messes up the electronic."

"Oh," Ron said and looked at the phone in amazement. "It's like one of those felly tones, except that you can carry around with you?"

"Yes," said Hermione patiently, "and it's telephone not felly tone." Hermione waved her wand and muttered a spell. A shining white wall appeared before her, and disappeared after a second.

"Have you heard from your parents lately?"

"Actually, no," Hermione said and stopped walking around. "I have sent them owls, but I never got a reply from them. I should visit them, before we leave. You know, just to tell them not to worry. They always worry too much."

"I can come with you," Ron suggested.

"No, you don't have to. We have a lot of work here. And I don't think we can leave Harry here alone."

"We'll apparate. It's not so far. Pop there, pop here. It will take a second." Hermione thought about it for a second and the nodded. "Ok," she said and continued to wave her wand and mutter spells.

* * *

Bill: _I crush every mirror in every house I see. I cannot look at myself, I cannot bear the thought of Fleur looking at me for the rest of her life. She deserves something better. That's why I left and I am not coming back. I am not fully a wolf, but there is a wolf part growing inside of me. Howling louder and louder every day. I don't know where it will take me. In the woods I howl hoping that some day someone will answer me._

_

* * *

_

Ron and Hermione arrived at a street with terraced houses as long as the eye could carry. Ron had not imagined Hermione living in a house like this.

"Come," Hermione said and began to walk along the street. They met several people Hermione new along the way. Mr. Smith came cycling down the road and then there were the Terry twins making trouble as always and girl, Sheena, whom Hermione had gone to school with.  
"How are things at Grand Old Academy?" Sheena asked Hermione and she replied with a cheerful "Oh, it's just wonderful."

"Grand Old Academy?" Ron laughed and Hermione hit him playfully.

"I can't say I'm a witch, can I? She'd run to the other way as fast as her feet could manage."

Finally they arrived at Hermione's house. It looked exactly the same as the neighbouring houses; built of light and dark bricks, two stories high with a dark wooden door. Hermione walked up to the door and picked up a key from her pocket. She put it in the keyhole and carefully opened the door. No room was lit.

"Mum? Dad?" Hermione said through the darkness, though it was apparent that nobody was home. "I guess they are not home." She walked further into the house and Ron followed.

"I want to see your room," Ron said

"Ok, but it's not much to see," Hermione said and began to walk up the stairs to the second floor. Hermione's room was closest to the stairs. There were traces of duck tape on Hermione's door. The room was two times bigger than Ron's. In the middle lay a large bed. The walls were painted blue and in the back stood several rows of books neatly next to each other. Ron dragged Hermione on her bed and kissed her on the lips. For a while, only thing that could be heard was the smacking of lips, then Hermione broke the kiss.  
"I think we should go," Hermione said. Ron looked reluctant at first. He'd rather continue kissing Hermione, but he knew they had work to do at the cottage, so he simply nodded and began to walk out of the room. Hermione followed and to make up for the discontinued snogging session, she intertwined her fingers with his.

Hermione left a note to her parents telling them that she would not be home for a while and that they had no need to worry about her.

Outside Ron said "See you at the cottage," before disappearing with a plop. His head felt a little dizzy when he appeared outside the cottage. He wasn't entirely used to Apparation just yet. He waited for Hermione to appear beside him but after he had waiter a quarter of an hour he started to get worried. He went inside the house but couldn't find anyone, not even Harry. He had tidied in the bedroom and the kitchen but everything else was still messy. Ron went outside again. Total silence. Harry had probably gone for a walk but he was worried about Hermione, even though they both had passed the Apparation test it was still risky for them to Apparate, when you aren't used to it. Ron decided to Apparate back to Hermione's house. He concentrated and with a plop he was outside her house. The door was ajar and Ron ran inside to find Hermione sitting still on the floor.

"What's wrong?" Ron said in a concern voice.

"I can't apparate," Hermione said staring blankly into the air.

"What do you mean you can't apparate?" He had never seen Hermione like this. "I've seen you do it loads of times."

"I mean," Hermione said trembling slightly."I can't Apparate. I can't do magic. I can't do anything. Something happened to me, Ron. I was doing perfectly fine a month ago, doing my exams and then suddenly I can't do a simple Levitation Charm. I thought I had just done the spell wrong or something, but then it started to happen more frequently and now I can't even apparate. I apparated fine just now, but look." Hermione took her wand out, pointed it in the air and yelled "_Lumos!_", but nothing happened. "See, no light. The light is gone!" Hermione's voice cracked, she was on the verge of tears.

"But you apparated here didn't you? You're the smartest witch I know! You are Hermione, super witch!"

"Not anymore,"Hermione said and brushed a tear off her cheek. "I've read every book I can find, and nowhere does it say anything about losing your magical abilities or becoming less of a witch. Nowhere!"

"Whatever this is that is going on with you, we'll figure it out" Ron helped Hermione up and hugged her gently.

"How do we get back to Harry? Can we side-apparate back?"

"I don't know, I almost can't apparate myself. It's too far. I don't want to splint us."

Hermione sighed. "You go then. I'll find a way to get back to you."

"I'm going with you! I'll write to Ginny. She can stay with Harry."

* * *

When Ginny was sure the house was quiet and empty of Harry and Fleur's relatives, she got out of her room. The hall was empty as was the kitchen. On the kitchen table lay a note from her parents saying that they needed to sort out a few things and that they would be back in a few hours. Beside her parent's note lay another piece of paper. Ginny picked it up and read:

_Ginny,_

_Hermione and I decided to visit Hermione's parents but now we are having some trouble getting back to Harry. We don't know how long it will take for use to get there. He's alone at the cottage, could you stay with him for a while? You can travel with floo powder there. It's connected to the Floo Network. Hermione is having some problems with her magic. Don't worry, we'll sort it out._

_Ron_

Ginny looked at the last sentence. _We'll sort it out_. Ginny snorted. It was a never a good thing coming from Ron. Ginny's first thought when Ron had mentioned Harry was to throw the letter into the fireplace. She really didn't want to make life easier for Harry in any way, but something inside stopped her. She sighed and took a pinch of floo powder from the flowerpot on top of the fireplace and threw it into the flames.

* * *

Ron walked with Hermione in his arms through the rows of brick houses. Although Ron had tried to comfort her as much as he could, Hermione was still upset and didn't say much. Ron was sure that they would be able to fix this, he just didn't know how. Hermione was always the one with all the answers.

"Excuse me." Ron turned around and saw that a man in a grey suit and an odd matching hat was standing behind him . "Could you two be kind enough to help us? My daughter was playing in our garden and somehow got stuck under her play tractor. We need someone to help us lift the it off her," the man said and looked so helpless that Ron had no choice but to say "sure, of course", even though he thought that they themselves had enough problems on their plate, and didn't need strangers to come and ask for help. Ron looked at Hermione. She didn't say anything but followed as the man led them trough a pair of gates to a house just like Hermione's.

Ron and Hermione looked around the garden, but saw no play tractor. There was no sign of a child even living in the house.

"Where is your daughter?" Ron asked suspiciously.

Suddenly the man with the suit hit Ron in the face. Ron took hold of the man's pocket but he jerked it away and the pocket tore apart. He hit Ron again, this time much harder. Another man appeared and attacked Hermione from behind. The last thing Ron saw before his head hit the pavement and he passed out, was Hermione being dragged away by the two men.

* * *

Although Ginny had used floo powder countless times, it had never felt so uncomfortable as it did now. Ginny had never seen a fireplace so dirty filled with dust and ash. Nobody had bothered to clean up in front of it, so Ginny landed under a pile of old chairs. Ginny crawled from under the chairs and finally saw where she had landed. The inside of the cottage was small. Ginny could only see that the kitchen and bedroom had been somewhat cleaned. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Ginny walked through the kitchen and back door to a overgrown garden in the back.

When she didn't see Harry near she began to walk through the woods until she arrived at a sandy road. Ginny saw Harry's figure walking away from her in the distance. She began to walk after him and soon caught up.

"Harry," Ginny called.

Harry turned around with a sour look. "What are you doing here? Didn't you tell me to stay away from you?" he said and continued to walk away from Ginny.

"Yes," Ginny said and tried to sound calm, although Harry's attitude towards her bothered Ginny, "but Ron and Hermione are in trouble."

This caught Harry's attention and he stopped walking. "In what kind of trouble?"

"I don't know. Ron didn't say much. We should get back, it's getting dark soon and we have a long way to go. We might not find it if it's dark." Harry didn't look at Ginny but merely nodded. The atmosphere was strained and Ginny let Harry walk in front of her in silence.

They had walked for what seemed longer than half-an-hour and the woods had become darker, when Ginny stopped to look around. She did not recognise the place and she was sure that it hadn't taken her thirty minutes to find Harry.

"Are you sure this is the right way to go?" Ginny asked but before Harry could answer the two most unlikely persons to meet in the middle of the woods came walking towards them. Draco and Snape were just as surprised to see Ginny and Harry as they were to see them.

* * *

"Lost a brother have you?" Draco said scorning at Ginny before casting a look of hatred at Harry.

"What do you mean by that?" Ginny said hostilely but Harry didn't listen. The wound from Dumbledore's murder was still fresh. He was staring fixedly at Snape. He had imagined countless times what he would do when he saw Snape. Most of the times he had hoped that the next time he saw that greasy hair, was when his body was being buried. The longer he stared at Snape the more convinced Harry became that Snape wouldn't walk away alive.

"Murderer," spat Harry and heightened his wand "You're a murderer and a betrayer and for that you must die."

"You're going to lower yourself to my level?" Snape said. "Dumbledore wouldn't have wanted that."

"Don't you dare say his name!" Harry yelled furiously, but Snape seemed unbothered. He smiled his usual twisted smile.

"Draco, let's go!" Snape ordered. "It's not their time yet and when their time do come. I will be there to watch."

Draco stood still. It looked like there was a struggle behind his eyes. He looked at Snape and then at Harry. Before Harry could react Draco pointed his wand at Harry chest and yelled, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"


	5. Chapter 5

Harry opened his eyes. He wasn't dead. His chest ached. He felt like someone had thrown a big rock at his chest and survived. Ginny was leaning over him, watching him with glossy eyes.

"I think I'm resistant to the Avada Kedavra curse," Harry said weakly. Ginny sniffed and laughed at the same time and hugged Harry tightly.

"I thought you were dead," Ginny with a broken voice. Ginny hugged him again, this time a little longer and a little tighter. Harry touched her hair gently with his fingers and thought he must have been crazy to ever have let her go.

* * *

Hermione dreamed. She dreamed that she was kidnapped by two men. She dreamed that they took her to a house with yellow and white roses growing in rows outside. She heard them talking.

"Do you have the girl?" said a voice, this one wasn't a man's. It was a woman's.

"Yes," one of the men answered. Hermione felt a hand brush her cheek. "She's pretty."

"Put her in the basement," the woman said. She seemed to be the boss.

"Are we ready to take this to the next level? Did it work at Diagon Alley or whatever they call that place?" the other man asked. His voice was more high-pitch and he almost sounded like a woman.

"Like a charm," the woman answered and Hermione heard them all laughing. An iron door closed behind her. Hermione stirred. Her body was aching. It wasn't a dream.

* * *

Ginny helped Harry back to the cottage. They had trouble finding it at first but Harry performed the point me spell which lead them to the right direction. Harry's anger with Ginny had disappeared with the murder attempt, as was Ginny's. They even laughed together as Ginny told Harry funny stories about how the twins teased Ron when they were little.

Dusk had turned to night and it was difficult to see where there were going. The only light came from Harry's wand.

"I can lit my wand as well," Ginny said when Harry almost stumbled for the fifth time.

"No, you don't have to," Harry said but Ginny took out her wand anyway. Somehow she had forgot to hold a wan because she dropped it.

They both reached for it in the dark and Ginny's hand touched Harry's. The world stood still. Ginny thought she saw something in Harry's eye that she had seen the night in the common room, right before he had kissed her for the first time. Harry didn't remove his hand. He grabbed Ginny's hand and gave her the wand.

The cottage wasn't far and once there were inside Harry took a hold of Ginny's hips and pulled her in to him. She held her breath as his fingers brushed her lips softly. The moonlight reflected in Harry's eyes and Ginny thought she could see his soul. Harry leaned in and kissed her lips gently, but broke away and let out a small laugh.

"What?" Ginny said slightly annoyed.

"Nothing," he said smiling . "Your hair just tickled my neck. And you look cute when you are annoyed." Ginny smiled too and moved a little closer to Harry. She wanted to hear his heart beat. "When you smile too," he added.

Harry laced his fingers with Ginny's and kissed her again, this time more passionately. Ginny opened her mouth and let his tongue slid in.

Harry led them to the bedroom, without removing his lips from Ginny's. They both fell on the bed and Ginny helped Harry removed his shirt. She kissed his stomach, then his neck and then on the mouth. Soon there wasn't a single thread of clothing between them, but it still wasn't close enough.

* * *

The sun was shining when he woke up. Ron looked around confused. Where was he? Where was Hermione? He got up and saw that he was in the same garden where he had passed out and Hermione had been kidnapped. His back hurt from sleeping on the hard lawn. He got up and walked on to the street, to see if he could find someone who had seen Hermione but the street was deserted.

He walked past Hermione's house and saw thought the kitchen window that Mrs. Granger was cooking. He felt a pain in his stomach. Someone took their daughter, he thought. The last thing he wanted to do, was ask Mr. and Mrs. Granger for help.

He needed to contact someone. Harry or Ginny, but he didn't have paper or an owl to send the message with. As if someone had heard his thought he saw an owl sitting on a mailbox. He didn't have anything to write on but he found a piece of gum wrapper on the ground. He tried to explain as much as he could with the small piece he had and gave the wrapper to the owl.

"Bring me a reply fast," he said and the owl flew away.

* * *

It was the sun burning on Ginny's face that woke her up the next morning. She was alone in the bedroom. She blushed as images of last nights happenings flooded her mind. She felt different Did she look different?

Ginny got up and saw that a small mirror hung on the wall beside the bed. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. She definitely wanted to have another night like that with Harry. Her smile faded. What if she was really bad at it? What if he didn't want her anymore? Ginny looked trough the crack of the bedroom door and saw Harry sitting in the kitchen happily eating breakfast. Had he done it before? She hadn't asked.

Ginny put on her clothes and walked to the kitchen.

"Morning," Ginny greeted Harry. What was she supposed to say? Nice moves last night? No.

"Morning," Harry replied in a casual tone. "You slept so peacefully, so I didn't want to wake you up, but we need to go now. We can't stay here if there are Death Eaters nearby. We need to find Ron and Hermione as well." Ginny nodded and poured herself some milk. She brought the glass to her lips and studied Harry. She tried to read his mind, find out what he was thinking.

Harry noticed that Ginny was staring and said, "What?"

"Nothing," Ginny said and quickly looked somewhere else. Harry finished his breakfast in silence and leaned forward to kiss Ginny on the lips.

"I'll just go outside and collect all our stuff," he said and when they had kissed, he left the kitchen. Ginny didn't know what to interpret it to.

As Harry packet outside the kitchen an owl flew through the kitchen window and a piece of gum wrap landed in front of her. Someone had written on it and she recognised the handwriting as Ron's and hoped that he and Hermione weren't in trouble.

Ginny's expression became more and more troubled as she read Ron's note. She turned the piece of paper, scribbled a few lines at the back and sent it away with the owl. She had the feeling that the worst had yet to come.

* * *

As he waited for the owl to return Ron sat down on the pavement. He had no idea what to do. Hermione's was gone. He didn't want to think about what was happening to her. He didn't want to think about anything. His head was hurting from worrying and thinking too much.

Ron had only sat for a few minutes when the owl came flying back. The owl dropped the note on the ground and Ron read it.

Ginny had written the note and wrote that she and Harry would travel to home and that they would meet there. Home? Why hadn't he thought of that. His whole body was exhausted and he only hoped that he wouldn't splint himself, when he Apparated home to the Burrow.

* * *

Fleur: _How can you love and hate a person all at once? I wanted nothing more than to find Bill and rip his head off, for leaving me like he did. I have never been so humiliated. I was ready for the happiest day of my life and it was taken away from me my heart with it. I walked alone in our apartment in my wedding dress and cried for days. It was pathetic. No matter how much I try to hate him, the thing that hurts the most is that he isn't with me._

_

* * *

_When Hermione managed to open her eyes, it felt like she had slept for days and had nightmares about two men and a woman. She was lying on a cold stone floor. She felt dizzy and couldn't see clearly. She shut her eyes tightly and opened them again. This time she could see better.

She was in a cell with metal bars, probably underground, but she couldn't tell because there were no windows. A man was sitting on a stool looking at Hermione. Hermione tried to sit up and get a better look at the man. His hair was short and dark and he seemed to be in his forties or maybe it was just the presence of a beard that made him look older. There something familiar about him, Hermione thought. She had seen him somewhere before.

"I know you," Hermione said and then realised something. The man standing on the other side of the bars was his neighbour. She had seen him only a few times at a distance, but her parents always told her about "pleasant Mr. Walters", who lived across the street and always came by with pastries. Then he remembered a letter that had come with a package she had received from her mother on Easter. "_Mr. Walters baked these. They are so delicious and sugar free as well. He really knows how to make food that tastes good in your mouth and is gentle to your teeth. He is really a nice man."_

"You have been spying on me?" Hermione said in disgust. "And you sent me cookies? Did you put something in them? I ate those!" Mr. Walters didn't answer.

"Mark!" he shouted and the other man came running down the stairs with a syringe in his hands. "Give her the injection. She is getting too chatty." This Mark opened the cell door and entered. Hermione struggled to get away from his grip but failed. She felt a little pinch on her arms and then she felt pain in her whole body, like her veins were on fire. All she could hear was her own piercing scream.


	6. Chapter 6

Ron was glad he arrived at the Burrow in one piece. Ginny and Harry were already waiting for him outside the front door. Ginny opened the door slowly and they all stepped in.

"We cannot tell mum or dad about anything of this," Ginny whispered and Ron agreed. Harry was more sceptical but agreed in the end. Their parents were too busy with the Order and if they told them, they would definitely be told to stay at home and wait for the grown-ups to sort it out. Ron would by no means sit still and do nothing when Hermione was in danger.

Mrs. Weasley was working in the garden and Mr. Weasley out on Order business, so the three of them tip-toed upstairs and locked themselves in side Ron's room.

"Ron," Harry said and sat on Ron's bed, "tell us what happened." Ron tried to tell us much as he could about Hermione's inability to do magic and the two men that had kidnapped Hermione. Harry filled Ron in on their encounter with Draco and Snape in the forest.

"Where do we start? We need to find Hermione first, unless.." Ron stopped. He had almost said the words "she's dead." She couldn't be. He needed believe that Hermione was all right. He would go crazy if he thought anything else.

"We need to go back there and look for clues," Ginny said confidently and sat on the bed next to Harry.

Harry was looking at Ron's fist and noticed something odd. "Why are you holding your hand in a fist? You've been doing that since we arrived here." Ron looked down and saw indeed that he was holding his hand in a fist. He hadn't noticed it before. Ron opened his hand and they saw that he had been holding on to a piece of material.

"This is a piece of the man's suit that got Hermione," Ron said dully. "I accidentally ripped it off." Ron threw the piece at the wall and it hit the floor.

"We could use that. I think I read something somewhere," Ginny said contemplatively. "I have to go and look. You two wait here." Ginny returned with a map, crystal and the latest issue of Witch Weekly.

"I read in Witch Weekly that there is a spell you can do if you want to know a person's location," Ginny said as put her things on the floor and sat down.

"It doesn't really work, does it? Most of the stuff in that magazine is just pure rubbish" Ron said. Ginny chose to ignore the comment from Ron and spread the map on the floor. Harry went to sit next to Ginny. He picked up the crystal and studied it.

"How exactly does it work?" he asked.

"According to Witch Weekly, all you need is a map, a white crystal and something from the person you are trying to locate." Ginny took the piece of material and tied it around the crystal. Ginny waved her wand around the crystal and muttered something that couldn't be heard. A circle of dust appeared around the crystal. The crystal flew from Ginny's hand and landed on the map.

"Berkshire," Ginny read on the map. "So now we know where Hermione is." She had barely finished her sentenced before Ron had disappeared out of the room.

Harry and Ginny saw Ron fly away with his broomstick. Harry had left his Firebolt in Ron's room. It leaned against the wall in the corner of the room.

"Ginny, wait here. I'll follow him," Harry said and grasped his broomstick.

* * *

When Hermione's kidnappers weren't putting needles in Hermione's veins, she liked to pretend that she was asleep. That way, she hoped that the kidnappers would hopefully leave her alone. She didn't know how long she had been locked in the cell, but days must have gone by.

Upstairs she heard the kidnappers arguing with each other. Doors were slammed shut and she even thought she heard glass breaking. She was weak and tired and didn't pay much attention to what was going on in the house.

The basement door opened and the man named Mark was pushed in.

"Watch the girl," said the woman in the group.

"Bailee, please don't let me watch her," Mark said pleadingly. "It's so boring." Bailee only hissed at him and shut the door with force.

Mark walked down and sat on the stool placed in front of Hermione's cell. He crossed his arms and looked at Hermione with dislike

"Looks like I'm stuck with you," he said and then continued in a conversational tone, "It's Bailee's birthday soon. On Wednesday. That's in two days. Did you know that? I don't know what to get her. I know what it sounded like. She's a bit mad at me right now, but I have to give her something nice, so she can forgive me and I can show her how much she really means to me, you know." Hermione despised his voice and wished he would stop talking. "You don't happen to have any present ideas? No, of course you don't. You are just a stupid…witch, is it?"

Hermione closed her eyes and tried to shut out his voice. She collected all her the strength she had left and said, "I know something you can give to her."

"I didn't catch that? What did you say? Is the little witch talking now?" he said in a mock voice.

"I know a present you can give to her," she repeated.

"I'm all ears," Mark said and motioned at Hermione for her to continue.

"There's a store. In London," Hermione said and paused. "They sell jewellery. There is this ring that supposedly makes you remain forever young. I don't think that particular ring is on sale, but it's in the store if anybody wants to look at it. I think a clever thief like you would have no problem removing the ring from that store."

"Bailee likes jewellery," Mark said. "Especially jewellery with mystic powers." Mark thought about it for a while and then stood up from the stool. "Witch, don't go anywhere." Mark mounted the stairs and left Hermione alone in the basement. Hermione heard Mark lock up the basement door, then the outer door and leave.

Hermione wondered if she had met a dumber person, but didn't really care. This was Hermione her chance to try to escape. She moved slowly against the bars and shook them. She was locked in and there was no key. She saw a rock on the floor, just within her reach. She grabbed it and began to bash the lock. Suddenly she became dizzy and her image became blurry. She couldn't sit up anymore and fell to the floor.

* * *

Ron flew above a meadow. There was a single wooden house in the middle. It had to be the were they had taken Hermione. Ron flew a little closer to the ground came down from his broomstick. He hid the broomstick behind a bush of yellow and white roses.

Ron peered through a window and saw the house was empty. He walked to the front side and wiggled the handle on the door. The door didn't open at first, but when he tried a little harder it flew open.

There was a weird smell in the air like someone had burned plastic and then tried to hide the burning smell with perfume. Ron walked past a kitchen and a bedroom. One of the rooms was filled with paper and in the back stood a shelf with rows of labelled folders.

He saw a hand written letter on the floor and picked it up. It was addressed to a Mr. Clarent at Illusion Magazine. It read; "_I'm writing to you about the story we talked about. Magic exists and I have proof! Call me._" It was signed Gordian Walters. Ron dropped the letter. He needed to find Hermione now.

He walked through another room. This one had weird equipment in it and on the tables lay rows of glass bottles and tubes, some had liquids of different colours in them.

There was only one door left, and Ron was sure that it led to the basement. It was closed so Ron took a step back and bashed down the door. Steep stairs descended into darkness.

Ron found Hermione in a cell in the basement. She was lying lifeless on the floor. Ron yelled "Alohomora!" and the cell door swung open. Ron shook Hermione and she slowly started to come out of unconsciousness. Hermione was weak and Ron helped her sit up.

"You know I love you," Ron said with his hands touching Hermione's cheeks, "right?"

"Yes," Hermione said faintly. It hurt to speak. "I love you too."

* * *

Draco: _Dumbledore was right. Killing someone isn't easy. Dumbledore was wrong. I am a killer. He was on his knees on the dirty ground, begging for his life but I did not hear him. Tears fell from his eyes as he cried for his fiancé, I only lifted my wand. Life drained from his eyes in a second as his body fell to the ground with a thump. Before I put an invisibility cloak on him, I looked once more at him. The scars on his face were fading away and he was now recognisable as the Weasley he was. Freckles and hand-me-down clothes. Soon the ground would swallow him. Master will be pleased._


End file.
